The very first Brain Injury Awareness Day on Capitol Hill was held in 2002, and is is hosted by the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force co-chaired by Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-N.J.) and Thomas J. Rooney (R-Fla.). It is put on in partnership with the Brain Injury Association of America. I will be meeting with my Senators while I am in DC and asking them to join the Task Force!

How YOU can help — even if you’re not able to attend in-person in Washington DC:

1. Find your local Senator and Representatives:
– To find your Senator you can visit www.senate.gov and click on your state
– To find your Representative you visit www.house.gov and enter your zip code in the upper right hand corner2. Send them a letter requesting they join the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force. Use this letter as a template (change out the RED highlighted areas). CLICK HERE FOR PDF3. Include this form for them to join the Task Force. CLICK HERE FOR PDF.4. Schedule a meeting with them while you’re in DC (if you’re attending).

Please contact Amy Colberg, Director of Government Affairs, at acolberg@biausa.org if you would like assistance with scheduling meetings with your elected officials during Brain Injury Awareness Day on Capitol Hill.

This year will be my third time attending BIA Day, and I wanted to offer my fellow survivors who are planning to attend some tips on planning out your day!

Amy with Senator Pascrell at BIA Day March 2016

Amy at Argosy University with several of her fellow Brain Injury Advisory Council membersThis year will be my third time attending BIA Day, and I wanted to offer my fellow survivors who are planning to attend some tips on planning out your day!

Amy with the members of ADAPT Clubhouse in Washington DC 2016

Map Your RouteWhether you’re arriving by Metro, Taxi, or car, it is important to do your research and know where you’re going. Make note of which building you need to be at, and program the addresses into your GPS using the “walk” option, or print out maps and highlight your path. NOTE: You will need to go through security screening to enter any of the buildings at the Capitol. You can not bring in food or beverages, and your bags will be scanned and/or checked by hand. Please be prepared, and feel free to tell security you have a brain injury and may need some assistance from them.

Plan Your Schedule In AdvanceUnderstand how much energy you’re willing to exert and plan accordingly. If you can only give yourself and hour or so, I highly suggest you put your energy towards the Awareness Fair. You will be able to meet with vendors who support brain injury awareness, you’ll meet fellow survivors, interact with the Brain Injury Association of America, and pick up some free swag to take home with you! The Congressional Briefing can get a bit long, and can be over stimulating to listen to, however, you will learn a lot and get updates on what is happening across the country with brain injury awareness, detection, and prevention. The Reception is a fun time to hang out with the new people you have just met, as well as eat some tasty treats.

Wear Comfortable Shoes
It’s important to understand that there is a lot of walking involved when you’re at the Capitol. You will walk from your car, Taxi, or Metro stop to the building, and also between the buildings. Distance is deceiving when you look at a map, so it’s good to be prepared for a lot of walking!

Stay Hydrated & Eat A SnackEat a healthy breakfast before heading out. Hydration is critical to brain health, so bring a water bottle and fill it up once you’re through security. There is also a cafeteria located inside the building where you can purchase beverages as well as a meal or snacks.

Bring A Notebook & Pen & Tote BagYou will likely meet a lot of wonderful new people, and you’ll want to grab their business card and/or make notes. You will be taking in a lot of new information, and I suggest writing things down so you don’t forget, and make notations of things you want to follow up on. A tote bag will come in handy to carry around the free swag that you pick up (pens, etc).

Pace Yourself & Be Prepared For OverstimulationGet LOTS of rest the night before. This is going to be a busy day with lots of people, walking, and interaction. Bring with you any comfort items you may need such as sunglasses and earplugs. Take breaks and pace yourself, you’re under no obligation to see it all and do everything on the schedule!

HAVE FUN!

Here is a recap of the first BIA Day I attended in March, 2015 on Huffington Post: CLICK HERE

Please consider donating to my GoFundMe Campaign to help cover my costs to get to Washington DC this year … where I am also speaking at the Virginia Brain Injury Conference, as well as Argosy University and two Clubhouses. CLICK HERE for more information.